Spire’s data will be used to demonstrate the quality and impact of commercial data on NOAA’s space weather forecast models

VIENNA, Va. (Spire Global, Inc.) — Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (“Spire” or “the Company”), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, today announced that it has been awarded a Commercial Weather Data Pilot (CWDP) space weather contract as part of the Commercial Data Program (CDP) issued by the National Oceanographic and Oceanic Administration (NOAA). Spire will provide near real-time radio occultation (RO) data for NOAA’s space weather forecast models to measure ionospheric conditions that impact activities such as aviation, satellite operations, navigation, and communications.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (NOAA PR) — Today, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, NOAA released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the second purchase of space-based commercial radio occultation (RO) data for use in NOAA’s operational weather forecasts.

View RFP at SAM.gov

The RFP is open for 34 days and follows the December 2021 release of a draft Statement of Work for public comment. This is a follow-on to the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts that were awarded in November 2020.

NOAA is soliciting commercial near-real-time satellite-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) RO and ionospheric measurements that will be processed into neutral atmosphere and space weather products. These derived products will be fed into NOAA’s operational data systems, including weather and space weather analysis and prediction systems, and used for weather, climate, and atmospheric research purposes. All data and products will be archived by NOAA.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (NOAA PR) — NOAA awarded three Commercial Weather Data Pilot (CWDP) space weather contracts to GeoOptics Inc. (Pasadena, CA), Space Sciences and Engineering LLC, dba PlanetiQ (Golden, CO), and Spire Global Subsidiary, Inc (San Francisco, CA).

NOAA’s Commercial Data Program (CDP) supports CWDP studies to demonstrate the quality and impact of commercial data on NOAA’s weather forecast models. These contract awards constitute the next round of NOAA’s CWDP studies with a particular focus on space weather data.

GeoOptics, PlanetiQ and Spire will provide near real-time radio occultation measurements from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers that will enable NOAA to derive ionospheric products that meet the current and anticipated needs of operational space weather models and applications.

Spire has provided reflectometry, radio occultation and other Earth observation data to NASA’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program since 2018

VIENNA, Va. (Spire Global, Inc. PR) — Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (“Spire” or “the Company”), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, today announced it was awarded a $6 million, 12-month contract extension from NASA to continue its participation in the agency’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program.

Spire will continue to deliver a comprehensive catalog of Earth observation data, associated metadata, and ancillary information from its constellation of 100+ multipurpose satellites. The data provided will include:

• Surface data, Spire’s GNSS Grazing Angle Reflectometry data (GNSS-R), to measure sea ice extent, classification and altimetry, soil moisture, and ocean surface wind speed;
• Atmospheric data, Spire’s GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) soundings, for weather forecast models to improve global weather forecasting accuracy;
• Space weather offering measurements of electron density and scintillation that allow researchers to monitor the ionosphere as well as prepare for and react to weather events in space; and
• Domain awareness including satellite state vector, altitude and precise orbit determination (POD) data to correct errors in orbital drag models.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Terran Orbital Corporation PR) — Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a global leader in satellite solutions, primarily serving the United States aerospace and defense industry, today announced it shipped two next-generation satellites from GeoOptics, a global leader in remote Earth observation. Terran shipped the vehicles to Cape Canaveral for launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-5 mission.

by David Bullock
Staff Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla., April 1, 2022 — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 40 payloads as part of the company’s Transporter-4 dedicated smallsat rideshare mission.

The rocket launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at 12:24 p.m. EDT. The mission manifest included the first satellite orbited by Pixxel of India, Kleos Space’s Patrol Mission, and 12 Spacebee communications satellites. A list of payloads is below.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (NOAA PR) — Today NOAA released a report to Congress titled, “Cost-Benefit Analysis of NOAA Commercial Data Program Radio Occultation Data Purchase.” [View report (PDF)] The congressionally directed report assesses radio occultation (RO) data purchased in Delivery Order 2 (DO-2) under NOAA’s first indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts for operational commercial satellite weather data. The initial cost-benefit assessment showed that the DO-2 data were similar in […]

SILVER SPRING, Md. (NOAA PR) — NOAA awarded a fourth Delivery Order under its existing Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for commercial radio occultation (RO) satellite weather data. The RO data consist of vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and related quantities for operational weather models and other applications.  

Two concurrent awards were made under this Delivery Order — one to GeoOptics for 500 profiles/day and another to Spire Global for 5,500 profiles/day — for a total of 6,000 RO profiles/day for 10 months beginning on March 16, 2022. 

PASADENA, Calif. (GeoOptics PR) — A global leader in Earth remote sensing, GeoOptics announced its expansion in Europe, with founder and chief technology officer, Tom Yunck, relocating to Lausanne, Switzerland, to manage GeoOptics Switzerland SA. The new subsidiary and team of data scientists represent a key component of GeoOptics plans to enhance their commercial satellite services around the globe.

“As a pioneer in commercial remote sensing data services, GeoOptics supports decision makers, research groups, and individual users worldwide,” Yunck noted. “Our European office will help us better serve an international base of government and civil customers with the most accurate, timely data available.”

VIENNA, Va. (Spire Global PR)– Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (“Spire” or “the Company”), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, today announced that it has been awarded as part of Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Delivery Order 4 of the contract issued by the National Oceanographic and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), for commercially available space-based radio occultation (RO) data for use in operational weather forecasts. The award, valued at over $8 million, represents the single largest U.S. government purchase of commercial, operational RO data.

The award is the next milestone in NOAA’s goal to expand the purchase of commercial RO data. It is an increase in the number of RO profiles that Spire provides NOAA from 3,000 to 5,500, serving as a testament to Spire’s proven ability to reliably deliver valuable, operational RO data, profiling atmospheric temperatures and related quantities for weather models helping NOAA and as a result American citizens prepare for extreme weather events.